1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of wireless telecommunications; and, more particularly, to an interface for a platform system for a mobile terminal for a wireless telecommunications system.
2. Description of Related Art
Since cellular telecommunications systems were first introduced in the 1980s, mobile terminals (Mobile Stations) utilized in the systems have become increasingly more complex. Initially, mobile terminals were designed primarily to provide voice telephony services; i.e., to receive and transmit voice communications. In later years, mobile terminals were developed that also included the ability to transfer user data not related to that of a voice telephone call. Such user data included, for example, data to be transferred over a dial-up networking connection initiated via a personal computer (PC).
Currently, so-called “third generation” (3G) systems are being developed for future mobile telecommunications systems. 3G systems will combine high-speed Internet access with traditional voice communication, and will provide a user with access to Internet browsing, streaming audio/video, positioning, video conferencing and many other capabilities in addition to voice communication.
The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) was established to ensure compatibility among the several 3G systems that are being developed around the world. The Universal Mobile Telephone System (UMTS) is being developed by 3GPP to provide a 3G system that includes terrestrial and satellite systems capable of delivering voice, data and multimedia anywhere in the world.
The drastically increased functionality that is being included in cellular telecommunications systems via the 3GPP standardization has placed substantial demands on the developers of mobile terminals to be used in the systems. This demand is exacerbated by the fact that a mobile terminal is a “resource scarce” environment that is limited in size, memory and power.
Traditionally, mobile terminal manufacturers have designed, fabricated and marketed substantially complete mobile terminal systems that include all the hardware and software needed for basic terminal operation as well as the hardware and software needed to provide the features and capabilities desired by the manufacturer or a particular user based on their perception of market needs. Such an approach does not provide the flexibility to quickly adapt to rapid changes in market demands or to satisfy the diverse requirements of multiple users.
Recognizing the inadequacies of traditional procedures for designing and fabricating mobile terminals, a mobile terminal platform assembly has been developed that includes a plurality of functionally complementary units of software and hardware that can be marketed as a unit to a plurality of users. Each user can then load, install and run his own application software into the assembly to provide a complete platform system for a mobile terminal that meets the user's own particular needs. The mobile terminal platform assembly and the platform system are described in detail in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 60/357,366 and 60/357,291 filed concurrently herewith, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
A platform system such as described above, wherein mobile terminal platform assembly software and application software are developed separately and then later combined by loading, installing and running the application software in the mobile terminal platform assembly, requires a well-defined interface between the platform assembly software and the application software. Such an interface does not exist in current mobile terminals wherein all the software for the mobile terminals is fabricated together.
There is, accordingly, a need for an interface for a platform system for a mobile terminal for a wireless telecommunications system that permits software of a mobile terminal platform assembly of the system and application software to be developed separately and then later combined via the interface to complete the platform system.